The Noor Al-Bayan Method for Teaching Reading and Writing

The Noor Al-Bayan method is a graded approach that helps a child master the foundations of Arabic reading. It begins with the letters and their sounds, then moves to the short vowel marks, the long vowels, tanween and shaddah, and ends with reading fully vowelled words and sentences.

For parents who want a practical way to teach a child the Arabic letters, reading and writing before school, the method is suitable for regular practice at home or in a nursery, provided that the age of the child and his or her ability to concentrate are taken into account.

Understanding the Noor Al-Bayan method

When a child can learn to read and write

The age at which a child can learn to read differs from one child to another, because the speed of learning depends on ability, readiness and the way information is presented. The basics of letters and reading can be introduced early, and children can begin gradually from age 6, particularly when learning is based on play and activities and not on pressure.

In the early school years, the time can be used to establish the following:

• Knowing the Arabic letters and their shapes.
• Distinguishing between the sounds of the letters.
• Reading letters with vowel marks.
• Writing the letters correctly.
• Reading simple words.
• Preparing to read vowelled sentences.

Sessions should be short and enjoyable so that the child does not regard learning as tiring or imposed.

What the method is

Noor Al-Bayan is a graded curriculum for reading Arabic that takes the child from basic skills to more advanced ones, step by step. It starts with the letters and their sounds, proceeds to the vowel marks, and then covers the long vowels, tanween, shaddah and the other rules needed to read words and sentences correctly.

One aim of the method is to train the child to read words marked with vowels, which also prepares the child for vowelled Arabic texts, including the verses of the Holy Quran. It is used on several of the largest platforms for teaching the Quran.

How long the method takes

Completing the curriculum takes several months, and in some cases about four months, but this period is not fixed for every child. The speed of learning is affected by:

• The age of the child.
• The ability to concentrate and absorb.
• The number of lessons each week.
• Regular revision.
• The way the lesson is presented.
• The use of activities and teaching aids.
• The ability of the teacher or parent to hold the attention of the child.

Four months should therefore be treated as an approximate period that varies from child to child, not as a deadline for mastering reading.

Starting with the Arabic letters

Before moving to vowel marks and reading, the child needs to know the Arabic letters, their shapes and their sounds. Memorization alone is not enough; varied activities help the child to remember both the shape and the sound of each letter.

Mistakes to avoid when teaching the letters

1. Linking a letter to a single fixed word. Instead of having the child remember a letter through one word only, such as alif with أسد (lion), teach the shape and sound of the letter and then give several examples.
2. Relying only on dotted letters. The child should practise writing the whole letter independently and not depend on tracing dots all the time.
3. Tiring the child with repeated writing. A child does not need to write a letter dozens of times on one page. A limited number of attempts, with a colouring or movement activity, is sufficient.
4. Overusing the eraser. The child can be taught to place a small mark beside a mistake and write the letter again correctly, instead of concentrating on erasing errors.

Dividing the Arabic letters into groups

Grouping the letters makes learning more organized and revision easier.

The interdental letters

These are ث، ذ، ظ. The child is trained to bring out the tip of the tongue correctly when pronouncing them.

The letters of qalqalah

These are five letters gathered in the phrase قطب جد. They can be practised through repetition and simple sound activities.

Letters that do not join the following letter

Some letters join the letter before them but not the letter after them: ا، د، ذ، ر، ز، و. Learning this rule helps the child to understand how letters connect within words.

The heavy letters

These are the seven letters gathered in the phrase خص ضغط قظ. The child needs practice in pronouncing them correctly, especially when moving on to reading letters with vowel marks.

Applying the method at home

Parents who wish to apply the Noor Al-Bayan method at home can follow a few simple principles. At least two sessions a week are recommended, with suitable teaching tools such as:

• A whiteboard.
• Letter cards.
• Coloured charts.
• Foam letter shapes.
• Colouring activities.
• Educational games.
• Writing exercises.

Each session can begin with a review of the alphabet before the new part of the lesson. Short, frequent practice is better than a large amount of information in one session.

Teaching the letters gradually

Begin with alif and move gradually through the remaining letters, paying attention to letters that are similar in shape or sound. For example, teach ب، ت، ث together, then ج، ح، خ, and continue in the same way with the other groups. In each session, give more than one example of the target letter so that the child does not associate it with a single word.

Simple homework

Homework may include:

• Colouring the shape of the letter.
• Writing the letter several times.
• Reading the letter by its sound.
• Giving examples of the letter.
• Reviewing previous letters.
• Writing the letters in order.
• Writing some letters in random order to confirm that the child can distinguish them.

The amount of homework should suit the age of the child so that learning remains enjoyable.

Teaching the vowel marks

Once the child has mastered the letters, the next step is the vowel marks, which are fundamental to reading. In the lessons of Noor Elbayan Academy, as in the method generally, the three basic marks are taught in order:

• Fathah.
• Kasrah.
• Dammah.

Teaching the fathah

Begin with the fathah. Place it on the letters and teach the child to read the sound of the letter with its vowel, not the name of the letter. For example, سَ is read “sa” and not by the letter name “seen”.

When the child can read letters with fathah, move to simple words such as رَسَمَ. The child reads each letter with its vowel and then blends the sounds into the whole word. Short phrases made of words with fathah follow, such as رَكَعَ وَسَجَدَ. Repeated practice makes reading the words easier.

Teaching the kasrah and dammah

After the fathah, teach the kasrah in the same way, then train the child to combine fathah and kasrah within words. When the child can read words with both marks, introduce the dammah. It is important not to move from one mark to the next before the child reads the previous one well.

The three long vowels

After the vowel marks, the three long vowels (madd) are taught:

• Madd with alif.
• Madd with ya.
• Madd with waw.

The child is taught that the madd letter carries no vowel and that the natural madd is held for two counts.

Madd with alif

Madd with alif follows a fathah, as in هَاجَرَ. The child practises reading the lengthened syllable correctly and then applies it to other words.

Madd with ya

Madd with ya follows a kasrah, as in syllables such as مي، دي. The child learns to distinguish between ya as a madd letter and ya with another function in the word.

Madd with waw

Madd with waw follows a dammah. After mastering the first two, the child practises madd with waw using simple vowelled words. A large number of examples and exercises should be given before the next skill is introduced.

Teaching tanween

Tanween is an important skill in the Noor Al-Bayan method and has three forms:

• Tanween with fathah.
• Tanween with kasrah.
• Tanween with dammah.

The idea can be simplified by explaining that tanween sounds like the letter noon, although this noon is not written as a separate letter in the word. The child then practises reading words with all three forms, moving gradually from short words to more difficult ones.

Teaching the shaddah

The child needs to understand the shaddah in order to read words correctly. It can be explained as two letters:

• The first without a vowel.
• The second with a vowel.

Practice begins with easy words and proceeds to words in which the shaddah carries fathah, kasrah or dammah. The aim is for the child to apply the rule while reading, not only to memorize it.

The solar lam and the lunar lam

When the child has progressed through the previous skills, the solar and lunar lam are introduced.

The solar lam

The solar lam is written but not pronounced. It is merged into the following letter, which usually carries a shaddah, as in السَّماء. The child is trained to notice the shaddah and understand the pronunciation while reading.

The lunar lam

The lunar lam is both written and pronounced clearly, as in القمر. The child learns to distinguish the two types through reading and repeated practice.

Helping a child to master Noor Al-Bayan

Success depends on the way lessons are presented as well as on the curriculum. Parents may also find this list of websites for learning useful. The following points are recommended:

• Keep learning time short and enjoyable.
• Use pictures, colours and cards.
• Repeat information in varied ways.
• Review previous lessons continually.
• Do not make the child study when tired.
• Use encouragement instead of punishment.
• Give the child enough time to understand each skill.
• Move to the next lesson only after the previous skill is mastered.

Teaching Noor Al-Bayan at home

A parent can apply many Noor Al-Bayan activities at home, particularly with a good knowledge of the curriculum and of correct pronunciation. A parent who is unsure of the pronunciation or the order of the lessons is advised to use a teacher or a specialist program and to support the child at home with revision and practice.

The main aim is for the child to read Arabic correctly, not merely to memorize letter names or finish the curriculum quickly.

Benefits of the Noor Al-Bayan method

The graded approach helps to build a range of skills:

• Recognizing the Arabic letters.
• Improving pronunciation and distinguishing between letter sounds.
• Reading letters with vowel marks.
• Understanding the long vowels, tanween and shaddah.
• Reading vowelled words.
• Improving writing.
• Preparing for reading at school.
• Building a suitable foundation for reading the Holy Quran.

Results differ from one child to another according to age, readiness and regularity of practice.

Frequently asked questions

What is the Noor Al-Bayan method?

It is a graded curriculum for teaching Arabic reading that moves from the letters and their sounds to the vowel marks, long vowels, tanween and shaddah, and then to reading words and sentences.

At what age can a child start Noor Al-Bayan?

A child can start from age 6. The suitable age depends on the readiness of the child and the ability to concentrate and absorb.

How long does it take to learn Noor Al-Bayan?

The curriculum takes about four months in some cases. The period varies with the age and ability of the child, the number of lessons and the regularity of revision.

Can Noor Al-Bayan be taught at home?

Yes. The exercises can be applied at home, provided that pronunciation is correct and the skills are taught in order. A specialist teacher can be consulted when needed.

Is Noor Al-Bayan suitable for teaching children to read?

The method establishes the child in reading letters, vowel marks, long vowels and the other basic skills, with due regard for individual differences between children.

Does Noor Al-Bayan help with reading the Quran?

Training in vowel marks, long vowels, tanween and shaddah helps the child to read vowelled Arabic words, which is of benefit when beginning to read the Holy Quran. Recitation itself should be learned from a qualified teacher.